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Denise Tsang

A 65-year-old man died and his 31-year-old daughter was injured after a fire broke out in their Hong Kong flat on Sunday, with preliminary investigations finding that a short circuit in a mobile phone charger had caused the blaze.
Police said they received calls for help at 11.38am for a blaze at Block 1 of New Jade Garden in Chai Wan.
Firefighters found the man, surnamed Lee, unconscious in a bathroom. He was rushed to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan and certified dead at 12.30pm.
The daughter, also surnamed Lee, was found in her bedroom. She was taken to the same hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
Initial investigations found the fire had been caused by an electrical short circuit in a mobile phone charger.

In September, an 86-year-old woman died while her daughter-in-law and two others – a 29-year-old man and his girlfriend – were hospitalised from a fire at the first floor of Shun King Building on Gough Street near the SoHo area of Sheung Wan. A short circuit in a television started the fire.
In June, 71 cats were found dead after an electrical short circuit caused a blaze at a tin-roofed house on Kam Shui South Road in Pat Heung.
Mobile phone mostly use lithium-ion batteries, which are rechargeable.
According to the Consumer Council, users should stop using products immediately and unplug the charger if the lithium-ion batteries are deformed, damaged or overheating.
According to Britain’s Fire Protection Association, lithium-ion battery cells combine a flammable electrolyte with significant stored energy. If a cell creates more heat than it can effectively disperse, it can lead to a rapid uncontrolled release of energy, commonly known as “thermal runaway”, that can result in a fire or explosion.
Thermal runaway can be caused by a number of factors, including an internal short circuit due to manufacturing defects or mechanical damage such as piercing or dropping. Other possible causes of thermal runaway are exposure to heat from an external source or overcharging or over-discharging.
To ensure batteries functioned properly, the consumer watchdog said, mobile phones or tablets should not be placed under pillows or blankets, due to high risks of overheating.
Gadgets with lithium-ion batteries should be placed in a cool and dry place, with direct exposure under sunlight to be avoided.


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Accidents and personal safety in Hong Kong

Man, 65, dies in Hong Kong fire caused by short circuit of phone charger in flat

The blaze broke out at a flat in Block 1 of New Jade Gardens in Chai Wan before lunchtime on Sunday. Photo: Handout

The daughter is taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. Photo: Handout

Man, 65, dies in Hong Kong fire caused by short circuit of phone charger in flat

Fire in Chai Wan flat at 11.38am on Sunday also injures man’s daughter, 31